Stade Toulousain scrum half Antoine Dupont was voted best player of the 2020-21 Champions Cup season by the EPCR.
What a dream Saturday for Antoine Dupont! Not only did the 24-year-old scrum-half win the Champions Cup with his club, Toulouse, to the detriment of La Rochelle (22-17), but he was also voted best player of the European Cup season. by the EPCR. The French international was in competition with his teammates Jerome Kaino and Julien Marchand, and the Rochelais Grégory Alldritt and Will Skelton. His trophy was awarded following a vote from the public and television consultantsls : Erik Bonneval (beIN SPORTS), Bryan Habana (Channel 4), Sonja McLaughlan (BBC Radio 5 Live), Alan Quinlan (Virgin Media) et Dimitri Yachvili (France Télévisions).
Praises of Habana
“Right now he’s one of the players that everyone loves without compromise. Not just because of his ability to score tries. I am also thinking of his tenacity, his speed and his physical commitment, ”summed up Bryan Habana, impressed by the Toulouse driver, who succeeds Exeter third row Sam Simmonds, who received the trophy last year. This season, Antoine Dupont was one of the key figures in Toulouse’s coronation. He played five Champions Cup matches, all as a starter, and scored four tries: one against Ulster in the first group match, two against Munster in the round of 16 and one against Bordeaux-Bègles in the semi-final. Antoine Dupont is the fifth Top 14 player to be awarded this trophy for best player in the European Cup, after Leone Nakarawa with Racing 92 in 2018, Nick Abendanon with Clermont in 2015, and Steffon Armitage and Jonny Wilkinson with Toulon in 2013 and 2014.
Awards
2021 : Antoine Dupont (Toulouse)
2020 : Sam Simmonds (Exeter Chiefs)
2019 : Alex Goode (Saracens)
2018 : Leone Nakarawa (Racing 92)
2017 : Owen Farrell (Saracens)
2016 : Brown Itoje (Saracens)
2015 : Nick Abendanon (ASM Clermont Auvergne)
2014 : Steffon Armitage (RC Toulon)
2013 : Jonny Wilkinson (RC Toulon)
2012 : Rob Kearney (Leinster Rugby)
2011 : Sean O’Brien (Leinster Rugby)
2010 : Ronan O’Gara (Munster Rugby – best player of the first 15 years of the European Cup)
